Life is more fun when you can rest each day knowing you have achieved or learned something new. Productivity feeds off motivation, which is spurred on by being able to put your mind to it, whatever task stands in your way. Here are 10 tips for firing up your productivity levels by taking on a different attitude and applying a more positive mindset.
1. Don’t get bogged down in the volume of tasks
Don’t overwhelm yourself by thinking about how many tasks you have ahead of you as this will only disrupt your level of concentration and pile on unnecessary pressure. Focus on one task at a time. Take a deep breath and plough through. Move on, one by one.
2. Keep a healthy mind, healthy body
Experts agree that there is a strong correlation between a healthy lifestyle and work productivity. As with getting a good night’s sleep, keeping active and eating a balanced diet will fascinate energy uptake and fuel your brain to help you focus on priority tasks more easily.
3. Less is more
According to blogger Leo Babauta, substituting quality for quantity enables you do a better job on individual tasks. The key aspects to ‘less is more’ are: slowing down, observing what needs to be done and concentrate on individual things rather than as a whole.
4. Adopt an organised system
Being organised is a blessing for saving time, money and stress and working towards happiness and success. It all starts with a system you can work with comfortably. Don’t put stress on yourself in figuring it out – start small, such as creating a filing system for loose documents or labelling places for storage. Other simple actions include unsubscribing from emails and recording your output each day. Before long you will have a process to help you through each day to get more done.
5. Utilise pockets of downtime
There are spare moments throughout the day that go unnoticed, mainly because we fill them with meaningless distractions like checking out social media or watching video clips. These are the times in which you can set aside to tick off smaller tasks that gradually build up and make your task-load look even more wholesome. Whether it’s five minutes spare or a lunch hour, schedule that window for an act of learning, doing or achieving.
6. Shut yourself off from distractions
Learning how to overcome everyday distractions takes time and patience. By mentally removing yourself from an otherwise busy environment, can allow you to crack on with things that require your full attention and focus. Sometimes the only way to see off a productive day is to work alone or out of reach of people or things you know will tempt you to slow down and lose concentration. Learn to know when and where to shut off, to best suit your routine.
7. See tasks through until the very end
Don’t be ashamed of leaving gaps in-between tasks. Everybody falls victim to this character flaw, sometime or another. Whether you have unfinished business with studying for an exam, painting a bedroom wall or any other task that is begging to take its tool, remember that commitment is the answer to your prayers. Keep a firm will to finish the job to the very end and the satisfaction of accomplishment will far outweigh any negative feelings you previously had to endure.
8. Group similar tasks together
When you’re in the groove you can move on from one similar task to the next with ease. Stopping and starting to readjust your mindset can cost valuable time when your energy levels are at their peak. In order to maximise your output for the day, group together tasks that only require you to work or think in a certain way, such as admin, outdoor chores, or email correspondence.
9. Strive for moments of calm
In a busy modern world its tough finding time to unwind from the everyday chores that absorb the physical and mental strength we need to plough through. Every minute used for recharging your batteries is time well spent. Look to build in pockets throughout each day in which you can clear your mind and come back to the tasks at hand with a fresh pair of eyes. They say that successful people know the secrets to staying clam which helps them achieve more from life.
10. Take pleasure in your chores
Turn negatives into positives by looking for the the fun and enjoyment in every task you take on. Not every challenge you are faced with will offer a sense of fulfilment, however, if you are passionate about being productive then you will find a way to make things work out. That in itself is enough motivation to ensure you can be at your best at any given time.
I hope you find time to introduce each of these tips into your routine to enable you to become more productive on a day-to-day basis.
